Shoe



Feb. 5,- 1946., J. s. KAMBORIAN 2,393,989

SHOEv Filed Sept. 22, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 j Q! Mana? f4 ma marm.

Feb. 5, 1946. J. s. KAMBORIAN v 2,393,989

` sHoE i Filed sept. 22, 1943 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patenied Feb. 5, 194ey UNITED 'STATES PATENT oFFicE 2,393,989 snor;l Jacob S. Kamboran, West Newton, Mass.

Application September 22, 1943, Serial No. 503,338

(ci. :is-'195) 8 Claims.

This invention pertains to the manufacture of footwear and relates more especially to an improved bottom structure for shoes, and to a step product useful in the manufacture of shoes, and while in certain aspects of more general utility, it is primarily concerned with the manufacture of shoes of the force-lasted type.

In order to afford proper support for the foot. and to preserve the initial lasted shape and appearance of a shoe, it is usual to make the shank and heel portion of a shoe bottom structure as stiff as possible, commonly by the employment of a shank piece (often reinforced with metal) and by the use of a stiif, moulded counter within the heel portion of the upper, the counter having a bottom flange which underlies and is secured. as by tasking, to the rear end portion of the insole or equivalent element of the shoe bottom. However, the counter flange is customarily of small width and only borders the rear portion of the sole member so that the counterv contributes little to the proper anchorage for the heel; the counter and shank piece must be applied separately, involving a plurality of operations; the counter and shank piece do no t mutually support each other; and in making shoes of the forcelasted type, in particular, the necessity for counter lasting and tacking substantially lessens the economies normally a concomitant of force-lasting. Prior to applicants novel method of making force-lasted shoes, as more fully described in his copending application Serial No. 503,336, filed September 22, 1943, it had been considered impractical to provide shoes of this type with the usual moulded counters. However, in accordance with applicants improved process, as disclosed in said application, such counters may be introduced between the lining and outer ply oi' the upper of a force-lasted shoe.

The present invention has for one of its principal objects the provision of a novel bottom construction for shoes, particularly for shoes of the force-lasted type, and which is distinguished from prior usage by having a smooth heel seat and adequate rigidity of shank and counter without resort to counter lasting; a better appearance, and an adequate anchorage of the heel. A further object is to provide an improved stage product useful in the .manufacture of shoes. Other and further objects and advantages of theinvention will be pointedout by reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. l is a fragmentary perspective view of a shoe embodying the present invention, the shoe Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse section through i a combined counter and shank 'made from the blank of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a shoe comprising another embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of a combined counter and shank blank useful in making the shoe of Fig. '7:

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the combined` counter and shank made from vthe blank of Fig.

6 as it appears after moulding;

Fig. 8 is a digrammatic transverse section through the heel end of a shoe embodying thel counter construction of Fig. l; and Fig. 9 is a fragmentary view, generally similar to Fig. 4. illustrating a modification.

Referring to the drawings (Figs. l and 8) the numeral l designates the outer element of a shoe upper which also comprises the lining 2 (Fig. 8), the parts l and 2 being united at the upper edge of the shoe by a seam S (Fig. 8). When making force-lasted shoes in accordance with the present invention, the lining only of the upper is united to the margin of the sock lining 3 by the inseam 6, the outer element l of the upper being left free from the sock lining. As illustrated in Fig. 8, the lower margin of the outer element l of the upper is secured to the wrapper strip 5 by a seam at 5a. However, it is contemplated that the wrapper strip may be an integral extension of the outer element l ofthe upper, if desired. The shoe is provided with a moulded counter, and in accordancewith Vthe present invention, this counter is made integral with a shank piece. An appropriate blank for forming such a combined shank piece and counter is illustrated in Fig. 3. This blank may be of any desirable counter-forming material, for eX- ample leather, or indurated ber in sheet form. This blank is shaped to provide two counter wings 'IEL integrally joined at their rear ends at the region 1b. The blank is 0f maximum Width at this part. The wings l taper from this region of maximum width toward their ends 1c, the lat-l ner of the counter, but in accordance with this The outer 'edges I3 of the shank-forming extensions are curved corresponding to the curve of the edge ofthe shank portion of the shoe bottom. 'I'he adjacent ends of the extensions 9 are joined by a narrow, integral connecting portion I4 here shown as indented to facilitate moulding. This blank is subjected to a moulding operation in accordance with methods generally followed in 4moulding counters, with the result that the wings 1 become upright, as shown in Fig. 4, while the extensions 9 are disposed in a horizontal plane and in overlapping relationship. Preferably, these overlapping portions are united, for example, by adhesive or staples. Preferably the margins II of the extensions 9 are beveled before moulding but after moulding, the bottom wall of the counter where the parts 9 overlap, is preferably somewhat thicker at the center than at the lateral edges. During the moulding operation, thepart I4 of the blank is folded or gathered vas shown at I5 in Fig. 2, such portion closing the space between the rear edges'IIi of the shank-forming extensions and the moulded vertical rear wall of the counter. By this procedure the upstanding walls or wing portions of the counter are'integrally joined to ay bottom wall which extends across the entire width of l the s hoe bottom and which integrally merges with While the counter above described is preferred,

it is contemplated that a desirable counter may be made asfmore particularly illustrated in Figs. 5, 6 and 7. y In Fig. 6 there is shown a counter 'blank consisting of appropriate sheet material and comprising a central portion ilx shaped more or less like the conventional shoe shank piece, having'the forward edge I2x and the rear end Il)x but being provided with the integral rearwardly projecting tab Illy. Counter-forming wings 'Ix are integrally joined to the side edges of the piece 9X. These counter-forming wings have portions Im projecting rearwardly beyond the tab Illy, and preferably these wings have beveled edges 20. This blank is moulded so as to provide the combined counter and shank of.

Fig. 7 in which the wing members 'Ix are arranged to stand substantially vertically with their rear extensions 'im overlapping to form a doublethickness rear wall for the counter and with the tab I OY overlapping the rear wall at its junction with the part 9x. This combined counter and shank piece is associated with-the upper in the same way as the counter above described.l If desired, an elongate metal shank stiffener 2| may be associated with the part 9": This stiifener is shown as having a fiat plate `portion 22 at one end designed to underlie the shoe heel.

Preferablythis plate-like portion or head has integral prongs 22lwhich extend through the shoe' bottom structure and which are clenched over at `Y the upper surface of the sock lining. The head the shank. 'Ihe shank is thus also of two-ply construction, affording very substantial stiffness. and rigidity to therear portion of the shoe b ottom structure.

'I'he moulded counter and shank is now intro- 'duced between the lining 2- and the vouter elevdle sole. forward end of the shank, then, gested, the shank portion of the combined counment I of the upper, the bottom or shank pory tion of this combined shank and counter being cemented to the under sideD of the sock lining. 'Ihe last is then forced into the upper tol impart `the desired lasted contour.

A middle sole is cemented to the forepart portion of the sock lining and so arrangedv as to coverthe inseam 4. Thismi'ddle sole may consist only of a thick platform of felt or the like, such as indicated at I 'l (Fig. 1) or it may comprise a thinner part I6 which is directly attached to the sock lining and to which, in turn, the felt platform is secured. If such` a thin sole member be used, it maybe desirable to make its toe and heel ends of sti material and the ball portion of flexible material; Itrmay or may not extend from toe to heel. As indicated in Fig. 8, this sole' member I8 extends to the heel and is arranged to underlie the parts 9 of the vcombined counter and shank.

layer 0r platform I1 .may be coextensive with the middle sole, or may itself constitute the mid- If the middle sole terminate at the as above sugter and shank is secured directly to the sock lining. The wrapper 5 is wiped inV over the middle sole and over the shank piece. An outer sole i8 iFig. 8) is applied and a heel-.I9 attached. It may be noted that by theemployment of 'a counter `of the type here disclosed, an unusual thickness of material is made available for the reception of the fastenersby which the heel is Y attached.

22 has an aperture 23'for the reception of a heelattaching fastener. As illustrated in Fig. v9, the f stiifener 2i is -interposed between the overlapped,V

plies 9 of the combined shank and counter. v

While certain desirableembodiments of the invention have been shown and described by way 1." A shoe including an upper comprising a lining and an outer element, a sock lining attached to the lining only of the upper at the rear end of the shoe, and a moulded counter interposed between the outer element and the attached lining of the upper at the rear end of the shoe, the counter having wing portions disposed at oppositeV sides of the shoe and a shank piece underlying'and attached to the sockrliningpthe shank piece being integrally joinedto the counter.

The cushioning 2. vA shoe including an upper comprising av lining and an outer element, a sock lining atetached to the lining only of the upper at the rear end'of the shoe, a moulded counter interposed between the outer element and the attached lining of the upper at the rear Iend of the shoe, and a shank piece underlying and attached to the sock lining, the shank piece being integrally joined to the Alower part of. the counter.

3. A shoe including an upper comprising a lining and an outer element, avsock lining attachedto `the lining only 0f the upper at the rear end of the shoe, a moulded counter interposed between the outer element and the attached lining of the upper at the rear end of the shoe, the counter having wing portions disposed at opposite sides of the shoe, and a shank piece underlying the sock lining, the shank piece being integrally Joined to the lower edges of the respective wing portions of the counter.

4. A shoe including an upper comprising a lining and an outer element, a sock lining attached to the lining only oi.' the upper at the rear end of the shoe, a moulded counter interl posed between the outer element and the attached lining of the upper at the rear end of the shoe, the counter having wing portions disposed at opposite sides of the shoe, and a shank piece underlying the sock lining, the shank piece comprising two superposed plies of the counter material, one of said plies being integrally joined to each wing portion respectively of the counter.

5. A shoe of the force-lasted type including an upper comprising a lining and an outer element, a thin, flexible sock lining attached to the lining only of the upper at the rear end of the shoe,

and a counter interposed between the outer elef kment and the attached lining of the upper at the rear end of the shoe, the counter comprising wing portions disposed at opposite sides of the shoe, each wing portion of the counter havy ing an elongate integral extension which underlies the rear part of the thin sock lining, said extensions overlapping and being so shaped as collectively to constitute a two-ply shank piece.

6. A shoe of the force-lasted type including an upper comprising a lining and an outer element, a sock lining attached to the lining only of the upper at the rear end of the shoe, a moulded counter interposed between the outer element and the attached lining of the upper at the rear end of the shoe, the counter having wing portions disposed at opposite sides of theV shoe, and a two-ply shank piece underlying the sock lining,

` I the respective plies of the shank piece being integrally joined to the lower edges of the respective j counter wings, and being united to each other.

7. In combination in a shoe of the type having an upper comprising a lining and an outer element a sock lining attached to the lining only of the upper at the rear end of the shoe, a shank piece of sheet material underlying the rear part of the sock lining, a counter interposed between the outer element and the attached lining of the upper atthe rear end oi the shoe, the counter being integral with the shank piece, and a shank stiiener extending lengthwise of the shank piece at the under side of the latter, the shank stiillener` having prongs at its rear end which project upwardly through the shank piece.

8. In combination in a shoe of the type wherein a sock lining is attached to the lining of the upper, ay shank piece of sheet material underlying the rear part of the sock lining, a counter interposed between the outer element and lining of the upper, the counter being integral with the shank piece and a shank stiiener extending longitudinally of the shoe at the under side of the shank piece, the stiffener having an integral plate at its rear end provided with a plurality of prongs which project upwardly through' the'shank piece and sock lining and whose tips are clenched over at the upper side of the sock lining, said plate being apertured for the recep` tion of heel-attaching means.

JACOB S. KAMIBORIAN. 

